I need to extend an internal wall but only by about four inches. It
sticks out into a kitchen and needs to be a bit longer to reduce the
doorway gap. It is built from some form of concrete block, more a cinder
block than thermalite and the end of each alternate row is a single
upended brick. The finished wall will be plastered. As far as I can see
there are several alternatives.

1 – Cement an additional column of upended bricks to the end.

2 – Chip out the upright bricks and cement in bits of thermalite block
so it continues to be interlocking.

3 – Screw a piece of timber to the end with spacer pieces to ensure it
is in the right position. Infill with brick/cement. Then put gauze over
the new section before plastering.

4 – As 3 but hack off all the plaster and plasterboard in one go.

What does the team think would provide the best solution.

Andrew

3 – Screw a piece of timber to the end with spacer pieces to ensure it
is in the right position. Infill with brick/cement. Then put gauze over
the new section before plastering.

Yes, but no need for the brick/cement infill. Use framing timber, and
lots of fixings. 50*100mm studs would be fine.

I would do this in conjunction with fitting the door frame. Masonry
screws (e.g. multimonti) to fix the first stud to wall end (probably
uneven/off-vertical).

Do the same for the other side of the door frame.

Then fix (big screws, e.g. 6*100mm spax) the head timber that goes
directly above the door frame solidly between the two vertical timbers
attached to masonry.

Then screw a second stud to the first with such spacers as necessary
to bring it vertical and to the right position for the door frame.

Then any infill studs needed above the door frame.

Then plasterboard over the timber.

On Feb 12, 10:07*am, Andrew May wrote:
I need to extend an internal wall but only by about four inches. It
sticks out into a kitchen and needs to be a bit longer to reduce the
doorway gap. It is built from some form of concrete block, more a cinder
block than thermalite and the end of each alternate row is a single
upended brick. The finished wall will be plastered. As far as I can see
there are several alternatives.

1 – Cement an additional column of upended bricks to the end.

2 – Chip out the upright bricks and cement in bits of thermalite block
so it continues to be interlocking.

3 – Screw a piece of timber to the end with spacer pieces to ensure it
is in the right position. Infill with brick/cement. Then put gauze over
the new section before plastering.

4 – As 3 but hack off all the plaster and plasterboard in one go.

What does the team think would provide the best solution.

Andrew

None of the above.

For 4" just do it all in timber.

MBQ

In an earlier contribution to this discussion, Andrew May
wrote:
I need to extend an internal wall but only by about four inches. It
sticks out into a kitchen and needs to be a bit longer to reduce the
doorway gap. It is built from some form of concrete block, more a
cinder block than thermalite and the end of each alternate row is a
single upended brick. The finished wall will be plastered. As far as
I can see there are several alternatives.

1 – Cement an additional column of upended bricks to the end.

2 – Chip out the upright bricks and cement in bits of thermalite block
so it continues to be interlocking.

3 – Screw a piece of timber to the end with spacer pieces to ensure it
is in the right position. Infill with brick/cement. Then put gauze
over the new section before plastering.

4 – As 3 but hack off all the plaster and plasterboard in one go.

What does the team think would provide the best solution.

Andrew

There's little doubt in my mind that (2) is the best solution. (1) is
unlikely to work because you won't get good bonding, and the new bit will
crack away. I suppose that (3) *might* work. (4) sounds like a hell of a lot
of work, and it's not that easy to remove plaster in a way which leaves a
flat surface.

The *easiest* solution would be just to add a solid bit of timber of the
right size and clad it with plasterboard, and skim it to blend in with the
original plaster. The only problem with that is that - over time - you'll
get hairine cracks between the old and new bits.
--
Cheers,
Roger
_______
Please reply to Newsgroup. Whilst email address is valid, it is seldom
checked.

wrote:
3 – Screw a piece of timber to the end with spacer pieces to ensure it
is in the right position. Infill with brick/cement. Then put gauze over
the new section before plastering.

Yes, but no need for the brick/cement infill. Use framing timber, and
lots of fixings. 50*100mm studs would be fine.

I would do this in conjunction with fitting the door frame. Masonry
screws (e.g. multimonti) to fix the first stud to wall end (probably
uneven/off-vertical).

There is no door frame. It is open plan with an opening between kitchen
and dining room but I want the gap slightly narrower so it can be
covered by a vertical blind to hid the mess.

Andrew

Roger Mills
wibbled on Friday 12 February 2010 11:37

In an earlier contribution to this discussion, Andrew May
wrote:
I need to extend an internal wall but only by about four inches. It
sticks out into a kitchen and needs to be a bit longer to reduce the
doorway gap. It is built from some form of concrete block, more a
cinder block than thermalite and the end of each alternate row is a
single upended brick. The finished wall will be plastered. As far as
I can see there are several alternatives.

1 � Cement an additional column of upended bricks to the end.

2 � Chip out the upright bricks and cement in bits of thermalite block
so it continues to be interlocking.

3 � Screw a piece of timber to the end with spacer pieces to ensure it
is in the right position. Infill with brick/cement. Then put gauze
over the new section before plastering.

4 � As 3 but hack off all the plaster and plasterboard in one go.

What does the team think would provide the best solution.

Andrew

There's little doubt in my mind that (2) is the best solution. (1) is
unlikely to work because you won't get good bonding, and the new bit will
crack away. I suppose that (3) *might* work. (4) sounds like a hell of a
lot of work, and it's not that easy to remove plaster in a way which
leaves a flat surface.


There is an intermediate solution:

Drill a vertical column of holes up the end of the blockwork, so that each
hole will align with a brick course mortar joint. Aim for one hole every 2-3
bricks.

Resin in a length of stud (M10-M12) inserting about 4" into the block and
leaving about 4" protruding. Build brickwork incorporating stud well into
the mortar joint - I would (and have) break all the rules and use a 3:1 mix
and damp the bricks down first for a max strength joint.

I interlocked properly when I did a similar job, but that was to an existing
brick wall, so it was a simple matter to take out the half bricks. I used
the resin+stud trick though when reducing a window opening leaf and had to
use upended bricks rotated 90 degrees - ie reduce by the brick depth rather
than the width. I feel reasonably confident it will work quite well in this
application. With interlocking the bricks, you will be able to belt it with
a clubhammer and it wont move (given a couple of weeks set). With the
resin+studs, it won't be *that* strong but it will probably be stronger than
a lot of other methods...

--
Tim Watts

Managers, politicians and environmentalists: Nature's carbon buffer.

"Andrew May" wrote in message
...
I need to extend an internal wall but only by about four inches. It sticks
out into a kitchen and needs to be a bit longer to reduce the doorway gap.
It is built from some form of concrete block, more a cinder block than
thermalite and the end of each alternate row is a single upended brick.
The finished wall will be plastered. As far as I can see there are several
alternatives.

1 – Cement an additional column of upended bricks to the end.

2 – Chip out the upright bricks and cement in bits of thermalite block so
it continues to be interlocking.

3 – Screw a piece of timber to the end with spacer pieces to ensure it is
in the right position. Infill with brick/cement. Then put gauze over the
new section before plastering.

4 – As 3 but hack off all the plaster and plasterboard in one go.

What does the team think would provide the best solution.

Andrew

If you leave a hollow column, then it can be used as a riser for
cables/pipes if this is of use.

On Feb 12, 10:07*am, Andrew May wrote:
I need to extend an internal wall but only by about four inches. It
sticks out into a kitchen and needs to be a bit longer to reduce the
doorway gap. It is built from some form of concrete block, more a cinder
block than thermalite and the end of each alternate row is a single
upended brick. The finished wall will be plastered. As far as I can see
there are several alternatives.

1 – Cement an additional column of upended bricks to the end.

2 – Chip out the upright bricks and cement in bits of thermalite block
so it continues to be interlocking.

3 – Screw a piece of timber to the end with spacer pieces to ensure it
is in the right position. Infill with brick/cement. Then put gauze over
the new section before plastering.

4 – As 3 but hack off all the plaster and plasterboard in one go.

What does the team think would provide the best solution.

Andrew

Another optoin is just thick plaster or cement over EML. With a good
thick depth its very tough.


NT

Andrew May wrote:
wrote:
3 – Screw a piece of timber to the end with spacer pieces to ensure it
is in the right position. Infill with brick/cement. Then put gauze over
the new section before plastering.

Yes, but no need for the brick/cement infill. Use framing timber, and
lots of fixings. 50*100mm studs would be fine.

I would do this in conjunction with fitting the door frame. Masonry
screws (e.g. multimonti) to fix the first stud to wall end (probably
uneven/off-vertical).

There is no door frame. It is open plan with an opening between kitchen
and dining room but I want the gap slightly narrower so it can be
covered by a vertical blind to hid the mess.

Buy a bigger blind....?

Steve Walker wrote:
Andrew May wrote:
wrote:
3 – Screw a piece of timber to the end with spacer pieces to ensure it
is in the right position. Infill with brick/cement. Then put gauze over
the new section before plastering.
Yes, but no need for the brick/cement infill. Use framing timber, and
lots of fixings. 50*100mm studs would be fine.

I would do this in conjunction with fitting the door frame. Masonry
screws (e.g. multimonti) to fix the first stud to wall end (probably
uneven/off-vertical).
There is no door frame. It is open plan with an opening between kitchen
and dining room but I want the gap slightly narrower so it can be
covered by a vertical blind to hid the mess.

Buy a bigger blind....?


Actually it's the opposite problem. The blinds are these big sheets that
hang of a rail (I'm sure they have a technical name) They are 600mm wide
but the wall is only 500mm and it would (would have been) nice to have
them completely out of the way when slid back.

I say would have been because the current idea is to still extend the
wall but far enough to put a 600mm pull-out larder next to it to create
a bit more storage space.

May still be looking for some way to separate off the kitchen though.

Andrew